Creative deliverables
Hazeldean Mall Christmas 2018
An overarching visual and experiential touchstone to unite Stores, Santa Claus, Decorations and Events while allowing each to have unique imagery across media and experience
Buffalo Plaid (in red and black) is popular in Canada every year - symbolic of the Ottawa area's lumber baron days the style is worn by people everywhere during the winter months. Hazeldean Mall's all season Canadian Shield mural was the influence in creating a farm woodland theme for Christmas in 2018.
Starting from the Santa Claus set, a new Santa Chair and overhead sign were commissioned to be built by local reclaim artist and industrial designers Re4rm to create a centrepiece to the farm woodland theme - the use of reclaimed barnboard for the sign and the green (green to allow Santa's red suit to pop in pictures) upholstered family chair would tie the theme together. The Santa set was then redesigned for traffic flow and photography coordination. New photographers were brought on board to offer a three light digital photograph system, to highlight this quality difference the set was renamed "Santa's Pop-Up Portrait Shop" which would be branded throughout the set and in the signage.
The red Buffalo Plaid became a touchstone highlight across media - appearing dominant in some pieces and a minor anchor in others. As Santa's family chair was upholstered in green a green and black plaid was created to offer a contrasting separation for communications featuring Santa Claus.
idea3 created all photography, writing and designs with partners sourced for their expertise including Re4m, Speedpro Imaging, Motion Printing, Ron Martin, Bentall Kennedy and Hazeldean Mall tenants.
Santa Claus Branding
Santa Set Logistics - a transformative experience
Reclaiming counters from vacant stores and theme wrapping them Hazeldean Mall created a new brand experience by combining set traffic flow logistics with new overhead signage and a posing chair that could be used by schools and families to create a transformative visit with Santa.
Included in the visual stimulation are the decorated Hazeldean HotRod and repurposed gift boxes and trees with a milky way backdrop for portraits.
Reframing the Santa Visit into a Family Portrait Mini-Session Experience
Three different Santa Claus performers
To maintain health and consistency three different people performed as Santa. Daytime (Mon-Fri) Santa was performed by a 74 year-old who was in his 23rd year, weeknight (Mon-Fri) Santa was performed by a 60 year-old who was in his second year and Weekend Santa (Sat-Sun) was performed by a 54 year-old who had a neatly trimmed natural beard - this Santa was brought back after a 20 year hiatus from being Santa at other shopping malls.
Marketing materials focused on the difference between them as being the weekday Santa wore his outdoor beard while weekend Santa sported his natural beard (as weekends in the mall were warmer).
Tracking social media for public mentions for feedback
Special efforts and posing with newborns
After the fact custom edits on request
Encouraging sibling recreations
All portraits available to visitors on private galleries for download
Special Events
Pet Nights
Friendly pet cats and dogs were invited to visit Santa on Tuesday Nights
Festive Sweater Nights
People were encouraged to visit on Wednesday Nights for Festive Sweater Nights.
Website Update
Magazine
The Hazeldean Mall story is friendly people, surprising selection of stores with merchandise people want, convenient location and hours...with contests and events to motivate shopping during the Christmas season. Plus promoting Santa Claus as a star attraction with various theme nights.
All of the above delivered to a tight geographically based market on November 15th.
With this as the foundation we crafted the magazine and messages from scratch with real people (employees from stores) as models, photographed them in the mall/stores, designed the pages and ads in a clean, imagery-intense, package that only hints at a template and co-ordinated the printing and distribution to 39,000 homes (in homes on November 15th).
All of the creative designed to be cross platform: web, social media and in mall signage.
